


Going Home

by hhwgv



Series: 52 Week Writing Challenge [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Fairy Tale Retellings, Femslash February, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 20:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6024508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhwgv/pseuds/hhwgv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They told Kira that she was kept in the tower to keep her safe and to make sure that everyone else was safe. They said she was dangerous, that she could destroy someone and make it look as easy as slicing softened butter. Kira never really understood what that meant – she didn’t <i>feel</i> dangerous, she didn’t feel powerful, she felt lonely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written For the third prompt: " _A retelling of a fairy tale_ " for the 52 Short Stories in 52 Weeks and for the rare pair prompt for twfemslashficrec's Femslash February Challenge.
> 
> very loosely inspired by Rapunzel.

They told Kira that she was kept in the tower to keep her safe and to make sure that everyone else was safe. They said she was dangerous, that she could destroy someone and make it look as easy as slicing softened butter. Kira never really understood what that meant – she didn’t _feel_ dangerous, she didn’t feel powerful, she felt lonely. She’d only met two other people in her life and they never showed their faces – always opting to wear masks and speak in voices that didn’t sound natural. They brought her food and books and paints when she asked for them – as long as it wasn’t something she could use to escape, they were willing to oblige, constantly reminding her that she was here for her own protection. 

The only thing that brought her hope was the little mark on her wrist. It was strange – an intricate little circle with lines crisscrossing it and swirling around it. When she was younger, she’d asked one of the guards what it meant and they’d told her that it was a sign that she had a soul mate. She hadn’t really understood, so the guard explained that sometimes the universe wanted two people to be together forever and it proved that by giving them both a mark. It was at that point that the other guard cut off their conversation, insisting that Kira didn’t need to know any more. But she had heard enough. Now she knew that there was someone out there who had the same mark, someone who was meant for her. 

Kira sat on the ledge of her window, staring out through the bars at the sea of green trees that surrounded the little tower where she lived. The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky and she knew that the guards would be back to check on her soon – they always came when the sun was coming up and when it was going down to make sure she hadn’t escaped. Sometimes she wondered what would happen if she did manage to escape, what would happen to her. She’d have to go far away – the guards had the King’s mark on their chests, so she knew that they would put out a nation-wide search. Maybe she’d run away to a distant land, one without all the trees that this one had. Or maybe she’d escape to the land she dreamed about sometimes – the one with mountains and sparkling lakes. Maybe she’d find the person who shared the mark, her soul mate. 

As if on cue, Kira heard a key jiggling in the lock downstairs – the guards were coming. She pushed herself off of her window sill and smoothed her dress, standing up straight like they commanded her to. Something was different this time, though. Muffled shouts came drifting through the heavy wooden door and Kira heard a dull thud as something hit the floor. Fear squeezed at her chest – what was happening? 

Before Kira had any time to formulate theories in her head, the door swung open. Instead of the masked guards, a girl was standing in the doorway. She was panting, her chest heaving as if she’d run some sort of marathon. She was beautiful – Kira could feel the power that seemed to radiate from her, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the woman’s neck. White lines ran up the side and onto her face. Kira wanted to ask, but her voice wouldn’t seem to let her. She was rooted to the spot, fear and curiosity mixing within her. 

“Kira?” the girl’s voice was softer than Kira expected it to be. 

“Wh… who are you?” Kira asked, trying not to let her fear show and failing. 

The girl looked back over her shoulder at the stairwell. “I don’t really have time for that,” she said, striding across the room. She grabbed Kira’s wrist and looked at it, some of the tension melting from her shoulders when she saw the little circle. “You need to come with me,” she insisted, tugging on Kira’s arm gently. 

Kira stayed rooted to the spot. She wanted to go with this girl, but she didn’t know what would happen. The girl sighed and pushed up her sleeve, holding her wrist out beside Kira’s. She had the same mark. “But,” Kira started, “I –”

“I’ll explain later. We don’t have time right now. Those guards could wake up at any moment,” the girl interrupted. She tugged on Kira’s arm again, but when it became apparent that Kira was in too much shock to move, the girl picked her up, threw her over her shoulder, and walked out of the tower. 

Kira hardly paid attention as the girl carried her down the stairs and into the thick band of trees. After all of the years she’d fantasized about meeting her soul mate, it was actually here. Although, this definitely wasn’t how she’d envisioned it. She thought it’d be more romantic and less urgent. She’d thought that maybe her soul mate would be the one to get her out of the tower, but she hadn’t expected – well, a girl. 

They stopped when they reached a little pond. The water was clear and blue and the girl put Kira down so she could bend to get a drink. Kira watched her carefully, not knowing what to say. Finally she found her voice and asked, “How did you know who I was?” 

“I’ve been looking for you for a long time,” the girl answered. “I grew up knowing who you are and what you would mean to me – it’s why I became a knight. I wanted to be the one to find you.” 

“But…” Kira started, taking time to let her brain absorb all of the information, “who are you?” 

The girl laughed softly and Kira felt something tug in her chest. “My name is Braeden,” she said, sitting down on the soft grass and motioning for Kira to do the same. “My mother was your mother’s nurse when she gave birth to you and when she was cleaning you off, she saw the mark on your wrist and recognized it. She brought me to your mother to show her and they intended for us to grow up together. It was foretold that you would be the most powerful ruler of all the kingdoms, so they decided to train me so I could protect you.” Braeden paused and Kira continued to stare at her, enraptured by the honest vulnerability on her face. 

“Rumours of your power spread, of course,” Braeden continued, absentmindedly pulling out the grass beside her, “and some of the other rulers began to worry. Spies for your parents heard talk of kidnapping and increased your security. Some of the guards didn’t think the threat was real, though, and weren’t as diligent as they should have been. Your parents woke up that morning and you were gone. People have been searching for you ever since. When I was old enough, I joined the search.” She said everything so matter-of-factly, like there was no way she could be lying. 

Braeden didn’t say anything for a while, allowing Kira to process what she’d been told. Silence stretched between them, but it was neither tense nor awkward. Kira broke it by asking, “Why did they think I would be a powerful ruler?” 

“Your parents are the King and Queen of the most powerful kingdom in all of the land,” Braeden said, choosing her words carefully, “and one of the prophets saw that you would have power beyond your parents’ wildest dreams. That’s as much as I know.” 

Kira’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. “I – I’m a princess?” 

Braeden smiled and nodded. “Yes,” she answered, “you’re a princess. And it’s time for you to come home.” She stood up, reaching down and offering her hand to help Kira up off the ground. 

Kira grinned and took it – her brain still trying to digest all of the information she’d received today. She was a princess. She’d found her soul mate. _She was going home._

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed! Constructive criticism is appreciated (although this is my first time writing Braeden, so please be nice).


End file.
